September 2024 - Furnace Filters, HEAP Programs, and the Law of Unintended Consequences

Jeff Flaherty opens with a rant about builders who skip the filter slot on furnaces, then connects it to a broader point about unintended consequences in home performance. He covers HRVs and ERVs that stopped working because nobody changed the filters, bath fans that are rated for airflow they stopped delivering years ago, and why the box rating means nothing without an actual test. He also walks through the HEAP Clean and Tune program, why only about 40% of eligible homeowners use it, and what a clogged filter with actual R-value from cat hair looks like up close. From there he covers the income-based NYSERDA programs, why contractors who mislead the state will mislead you in the attic too, and why now is the right time to start the process if last winter left you cold. Plus a shoutout to a longtime WISL listener from Irondequoit who finally made the call after 12 years of listening to the show.